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Science has studied the brain and can provide information on what happens when we meditate. One way is in measuring the frequency of brain waves while awake, asleep, and meditating. What has been found is that the frequency of brain waves can be divided into different levels as follows:

Beta - The conscious mind. (A frequency of 15 to 30 cycles per second.)

Alpha - The level that is accessed by most people in meditation. (A frequency of 9 to 14 cycles per second.)

Theta - A deeper level, which is not usually accessed consciously excepted by those with a lot of meditation experience. (A frequency of 5 to 8 cycles per second.)

Delta - The deepest level. Not usually accessed consciously. (A frequency of 1.5 to 4 cycles per second.)

These levels will be used in this workshop to designate meditative states. It is interesting that science has found that we typically spend time in all of these levels each night when we are asleep. So the challenge is to enter these levels in meditation and remain conscious. Research has also shown that although one brainwave state may predominate at any given time, depending on the activity level of the individual, the remaining brain states are present in the mix of brainwaves at all times. This leads into our theory for:

Gamma - At the request of the Dalai Lama, measurements were made of the brainwaves of Tibetan Monks who have meditated for many years. These and other measurements have recorded frequencies from 40 to 100 cycles. This level has been called Gamma. Even higher frequencies have been found (up to 200 cycles) as well as very low frequencies (0.5 cycles and below). The higher frequencies have been labeled Hyper-Gamma and Lambda. The lower frequencies have been labeled as Epsilon. However, there are complicating factors in identifying these levels. One is that they are difficult to measure, and the other is that it is difficult to identify the predominate frequency. The latter occurs because (as noted above) all brain waves are always present and a rapid cycle can be superimposed on a long slow cycle. The interesting thing is that the very high and very low cycles have the same states of consciousness associated with them. Some researchers have theorized that Gamma is a harmonizing frequency that integrates different states of consciousness.

The authors have chosen to use Gamma to designate a meditation level that may include both these very high frequencies and the very low frequencies. We discuss it further, and present a way to reach it in the Third Level of this workshop.

Science continues to document the benefits of meditation on mental, physical, and emotional well-being. What is more esoteric is the measurement of the effect of meditation on our spiritual well-being. Science is starting to explore the spiritual and the results tend to support the belief that meditation is a connection to others as well as to our Divine nature. This supports religious traditions where meditation is seen as a way to find our connection to the Divine.

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